With global warming, natural disasters and droughts are becoming more common and intense. Rather than worrying, we should be preparing for such emergencies to ensure our health and safety.
Many people who live in fire-prone regions already have an evacuation plan. Even if fires are not common in your area, you can create an evacuation plan in case of an emergency. Here’s a basic fire evacuation guide to start off your preparation process!
Plan your evacuation ahead of time
Have a meeting with your family or housemates to determine what actions to take in case of a fire.
During this planning, you should set a location to meet and account for everyone after escaping. Another key location to determine is where you would stay during your evacuation. If you choose to stay at someone’s home, be sure to notify them about any fire concerns ahead of time so they can prepare for your arrival quickly.
You should also create a checklist of crucial items to take including documents, certificates, medicine, and sentimental items. To ease the process, you can pre-pack a go-bag with some clothing and valuable items you absolutely want to take.
To prepare for road blockages or traffic delays, you can also prep your evacuation vehicle with some essential goods. Some examples include food, bottled water, first aid kits, portable chargers, flashlights, blankets & pillows, and an escape tool like the resqme®.
It can also be helpful to join community groups to hear the latest updates from neighbors and professionals.
Finally, to ease the process during a real evacuation, you can practice going through your plan! Through practice, you can check for any items you may have missed and ease stress for the future by memorizing the steps.
What to do during an evacuation
Keep up-to-date with the news to make sure you are not in danger. If the fire is approaching your home, it can be helpful to hose off the roof and plants to prevent them from catching fire. Just remember that your safety is the most important, so avoid putting yourself in danger from fire or risky actions.
If the time comes to evacuate, make sure to carefully follow instructions from law enforcement and first responders. Follow the steps in your evacuation plan and make sure to grab any important belongings before leaving your home.
Based on where the fire has spread to, determine an escape route, keeping an eye out for strong winds that might change the fire’s path.
Returning back home
Hopefully, your home will not be damaged by the fire, and you can settle in once authorities have deemed it safe to return. Regardless, continue following news coverage to ensure your community is completely out of harm’s way.
If there is any damage, take photos of evidence to submit to insurance or any other organizations.
Hopefully, you won’t ever have to participate in an evacuation, but it’s a good idea to stay prepared!
